Of these footmarks two casts had been taken, of which photographs were forwarded with the brief.

They had been made by naked feet of small size, and in each case the little joint of the third toe of the right foot seemed to be missing.

But all attempts to find the feet that made them had hitherto failed.

The will was contested by the next of kin, for whom Geoffrey was one of the counsel, upon the usual grounds of undue influence and fraud; but as it seemed at present with small prospect of success, for, though the circumstances were superstitious enough, there was not the slightest evidence of either.

This curious case, of which the outlines are here written, is briefly set out, because it proved to be the foundation of Geoffrey's enormous practice and reputation at the Bar.
He read the brief through twice, thought it over well, and could make little of it.